Legionnaires' disease closes LCC building

Lansing Community College has closed the Health and Human Services Building until further notice as a precautionary measure after an employee was diagnosed with Legionnaires' Disease, according to a release.

LCC says that they don't know the source of the employee’s infection at this time, but are working closely with local health departments.

“Out of an abundance of caution we are closing the HHS building on our Downtown Campus to ensure the health of our students, faculty and staff. The building will remain closed until we are confident that there is no risk to our community,” said LCC president Brent Knight.

The CDC describes Legionnaires' as "a potentially serious type of pneumonia that results from Legionella bacteria. Legionella can grow in human-made water systems and is most easily spread through droplets in the air. It typically is not spread through drinking water, though it can if someone aspirates the water. It is generally not spread through person-to-person contact."

Each year, an estimated 56,000 to 113,000 people are infected with Legionella bacteria in the U.S., according to legionella.org .

Symptoms of the treatable Legionnaires’ disease include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches and antibiotics are a common form of treatment.

The CDC’s website indicates that 1 out of every 10 people who get sick with the disease will die due to complications from the illness.

Cases of Legionnaires' disease spiked in Flint during the water crisis in 2014 and 2015 and 91 cases and 12-deaths were reported.

It is one of the largest Legionnaires' outbreaks in American history.